We have a PPO BOG reservation on an EMM day. I just wanted to check a few details with the experts:
I understand we can get into the park at 7.45, is there a separate queue we have to join, is it obvious where to go?
Apparently there will be a bus for PPO reservations and EMM, will such a bus go round all the resorts or will there be a specific bus from POR to MK? Can you find out the night before what time such a bus leaves the resort so you know what time you’re trying to rally the troops for?!
Once inside the park are there photopass photographers who can take some pictures of the family in front of the castle etc? (Although I can’t imagine I’ll be at my most glamorous after dragging my family out of the hotel at silly o’clock!)
Are we allowed to wander about an emptier Fantasyland to take some photos before heading to our reservation or will we be directed straight to BOG?
Our reservation is for 8.10, what time should we arrive at BOG?
Are there any tips for getting ahead of the rope drop crowd after we’ve finished breakfast? When can we start lining up for Fantasyland rides? Any chance of getting through 7DMT and PPF before the masses descend?!
There should be a bus, if one is not showing then uber to the contemporary. Don’t forget to mobile order beforehand. Yes there are photographers waiting to take your picture in front of the castle. Try and arrive by 8:05am, it’s seat yourself at breakfast. If you’ve finished by 8:50 you can do 7DMT first otherwise head to PP or one of the mountains. We like Fantasasy Land during that first hour as you get about 5/6 things done. One time we did PP, Winnie, Ariel, Mermaid, Barnstormer and dumbo by 10am.
There is a separate line for tours and ADRs at park entrance. I don’t know if it will be obvious, as it depends what time you get there. Ask a CM and they will help you. Buses to MK start running around 6:30ish. We just make sure to be at the bus stop by then. CMs at the resort tend to tell you buses don’t start until an hour before park opening. There isn’t a separate bus for ADRs. Yes, there are photographers around at MK, as long as it isn’t pouring, which happened to us. You can head to BOG right away if you’d like. And you can’t wonder around all of Fantasyland, just a small section behind the castle. You can get in line for 7dmt and they supposedly let you in the queue before rope drop crowds with EMM (we did it on a non-EMM morning). If you want to do this, I wouldn’t dawdle too long before your ADR and I would also preorder breakfast on the website.
We did this exact thing last year in early June. Answers about what to do to get in line for your PPO rides on 7DMT and PPF here: BOG breakfast on an EMM day
I don’t have answers about the bus, as we always stay offsite.
As for timing, get in line at the far left turnstiles by 7:45 am at the latest or earlier if you can, especially if you want time to take photos of the castle and “wander” a little prior to your reservation. The EMM crowd and PPO ADR crowd get in the same entrance line, which is pretty obvious. They will hand you a map to tell you what route to take to get back to your ADR. It takes you through around the left of the castle, if they haven’t changed it yet.
You’ll be cutting it close with an 8:10 reservation if you plan to take it slow to get back there, even if you pre-order online beforehand (which is HIGHLY recommended). Although every PPO ADR is able to get in at 7:45-7:50 with all the EMM people, you still have to get there by reservation time.
As others have said, the ability to “wander” is there, but it’s a pretty restricted space. I would leave that until after you finish breakfast. After you are done, you can come “wander” around and then get in one of the designated lines for the PPO ADR crowd for either 7DMT or PPF, using the instructions from the other post.
Thanks, that’s all very useful. My boys tend to inhale their food so if it’s served promptly we will be done relatively quickly. We will already have been to BOG for lunch so we don’t need too much time to wander around the restaurant itself, I booked the breakfast to try and get a jump on the crowds and because it seemed like a good use of a QS credit.
We’ve got FPP for 7DMT, Space and BTMRR; but friends say they think we’ll want to ride 7DMT twice and PPF is a classic which gets big queues so want to fit that in too before hitting the other rides that we don’t have FPP for. My boys are a bit older so the plan is to do other things in Liberty Square, Adventureland etc and come back to Fantasyland later in the day when hopefully we’ll snag some same day FPP for the other attractions.
As far as timing with your food. If it takes forever to get to you, notify a CM - ours took 30 minutes. We had arrived at 8:15 and still didn’t have food at 8:45. I nicely let someone know my concerns and they gave use any time passes to use on all but 7DMT and meet Mickey. Doesn’t hurt to ask if you experience a busy morning f delay.
Having just done what you’re doing 2 days ago, I can tell you how it went for us.
They will let you in about 7:45 am at the earliest. They will direct you where to go which is across the bridge towards liberty square and along the left side of the castle. You can’t really stray from that narrow path.
With an 8:10 ADR I would just plan on being there as soon as you can get in and be at BOG at 8 am. They will let you in at 8:00 am, Don’t worry. Pre order online and you will bypass most of the line. They’ll tell you where to go so you don’t have to guess. If you are in by 8:00 you’ll get your food by about 8:10 and be done by 8:30- 8:40.
Once you finish, go out to the fence along side 7DMT where a line for the ride will start to form. They will lead you to the entrance of the ride right at rope drop. You will be the first people in line before the rest of the regular rope droppers from the front of the park.
You really can’t go anywhere else other than that small area between BOG and the 7DMT line area.
Thank you so much for all of this invaluable info and for linking to the other thread - I really appreciate it!
I think we may very well take an Uber to the Contemporary as getting to the bus stop for 6.30 might push my lot of monsters inc over the edge! Am now thinking that, weather permitting, we’ll try to get some photos in front of a quieter hub, but then get to BOG as fast as we can. food arrives fairly promptly and we can zoom out to 7DMT followed by PPF.
It really is brilliant that a random bunch of strangers have taken time from their busy lives to help iron out the details for a first timer. I know that there will be unknowns and hiccoughs along the way but I feel so much better prepared to deal with them after the all the great advice I’ve had from you lovely bunch. Thanks
food arrives fairly promptly and we can zoom out to 7DMT followed by PPF.